Disasters

New Yorkers learn how to work the system ... in the Boundary Waters
Officials in charge of the Cavity Lake wildfire are not only putting out a 50-square mile fire. They're also training some New Yorkers in the system they use to handle such long-term, large scale events.
The front lines of the BWCA fire
More than an inch of rain over the weekend helped firefighters get better control of the Cavity Lake wildfire. As of Monday, it's about 65 percent contained. But fire managers say crews will be in the wilderness battling the fire for a good long time. We went out to the edge of the fire to see how it's done.
Drought damages corn crop
Corn farmers dealing with drought may have another problem, low prices. Corn prices have declined in recent weeks because traders believe there's enough grain on hand to meet demand.
Parts of Minnesota are in an "extreme" drought
The National Drought Mitigation Center says much of the northern half of Minnesota is now in an "extreme" drought. That's worse than last week's designation of a "severe" drought. Conditions aren't likely to improve anytime soon.
After the fire
From a distance, much of the land affected by the Cavity Lake wildfire looks like it's burned to a crisp. But even in the blackened areas, life is not only surviving, but thriving.
Drought forces ranchers to make tough decision
Drought conditions in northwest Minnesota and the Red River Valley are hurting farmers and ranchers. The dry weather isn't just damaging crops and reducing yields, it also has some ranchers selling off cattle.
About 30 percent of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area wildfire is under control now, after receiving more than a quarter of an inch of rain yesterday. Around Sea Gull Lake the rain let ground crews work right on the fire line. Cathy Wurzer spoke with Jeff Edmonds, Fire Information Center for the Minnesota Interagency Fire Center.
Firefighters make progress on BWCA fire
Firefighters continued to make good progress on the Boundary Waters Canoe Area wildfire, as they were helped by continued moderate weather.